Mainline Report
The museum is open based on Ride Solutions staffing (typically Mon.–Fri., 9AM–5PM). Open House Events are scheduled quarterly. Revisit our website, where we will announce other activities as they are resumed.
Our activities require members and volunteers to be available on select days/times to operate the layouts and greet guests. If you have any interest in railroads, history, or model railroading, we invite you to partner with like-minded people. Even if you can only spare a few hours each month, we still encourage your involvement.
Contact us via email:
[email protected]
Leave a voice mail message (include name & number) at: (386) 328-0305
Our activities require members and volunteers to be available on select days/times to operate the layouts and greet guests. If you have any interest in railroads, history, or model railroading, we invite you to partner with like-minded people. Even if you can only spare a few hours each month, we still encourage your involvement.
Contact us via email:
[email protected]
Leave a voice mail message (include name & number) at: (386) 328-0305
UPCOMING EVENTS
Calendar Dates
Saturday – May 18 th Saturday – May 25 th – 9 to 10 AM
Regal Railways TRAIN SHOW
Hernando County Fairgrounds
6436 Broad St., Brooksville, Fl.
9 AM to 2 PM
Saturday – May 25 th – 9 to 10 AM
Members O.H. Preparation
Saturday – May 25 th – 10AM to 2PM
OPEN HOUSE EVENT
Browning Railroad Museum
HO scale model railroads operating
Saturday – June 8 th
LIONS CLUB TRAIN SHOW
1908 E. Ft. King St., Ocala, Fl.
9 AM to 2 PM
Saturday – July 3 rd
Golden Spike TRAIN SHOW
Volusia County Fairgrounds
SR44 East, Deland, Fl.
9 AM to 4 PM
Did You Know?
During the steam locomotive era there were numerous locomotive manufacturers in the
United States. Some railroad companies even produced locomotives in their own shops in
the 1900s.
BLW (Baldwin Locomotive Works), Brooks Locomotive Works, Cooke Locomotive &
Machine Works, Lima Locomotive Corp., Richmond Locomotive Works, Rhode Island
Locomotive Works, and Schenectady Locomotive Works were several that dated
from the 1800s.
Matthias Baldwin, BLW’s founder, produced its first steam locomotive in 1832. Called “Old
Ironsides”, it remained in active service for twenty years. BLW manufactured Southern
Pacific’s distinctive “Cab Forward” locomotives.
ALCO (American Locomotive Company was formed in 1901 It was formed by the merger
of seven locomotive manufacturers (some of those listed above).
Norfolk & Western, Illinois Central, and Reading were among a few of the railroad companies that built steam locomotives in their own machine shops in the 1940's.
HISTORY
Florida Railroads during the Civil War
The War Between the States became the world's first railroad war. Florida had limited rail mileage, 425 miles, at the beginning of hostilities. Its isolated rail lines were primarily used to move troops and supplies to ports and river landings. Being an asset the Confederacy could not afford to lose, they became targets for Union forces. The Federal Navy's first target was Cedar Key followed by Fernandina, the endpoints of Florida's longest line, the Florida Railroad. Any equipment considered useful to the “Feds” was confiscated.
Both terminals had equipment, warehouses, and trestles destroyed. Some portions of the line in the state's interior remained intact, and was of some use to the Confederacy.
When Confederate forces abandoned Pensacola, they took equipment from the Florida & Alabama R.R., and salvaged the rails rather than have them fall into enemy hands. The second longest line, located between Tallahassee and Lake City, having no ports, remained intact.
During 1864, a rail line became directly involved in hostilities. The right-of-way between Jacksonville and Lake City was utilized by Union Troops marching west to destroy a bridge over the Suwannee River. At what became known as the “Battle of Olustee”, Union forces were soundly defeated by a smaller force of Confederates. A Confederate gun detachment with a 30-pound Parrot gun mounted on a flatcar saw limited use during this battle.
At the conclusion of hostilities Florida's railroads were in shambles. After martial law was declared, the Federal military took control of Florida's railroads. The military did provide limited repairs and restored some of the larger lines to operation. During the Reconstruction Era, some of the lines succumbed to the fraud of carpetbaggers.
By 1881, Florida's Internal Improvement Fund was issuing land grants for railroads.
Florida Railroads during the Civil War
The War Between the States became the world's first railroad war. Florida had limited rail mileage, 425 miles, at the beginning of hostilities. Its isolated rail lines were primarily used to move troops and supplies to ports and river landings. Being an asset the Confederacy could not afford to lose, they became targets for Union forces. The Federal Navy's first target was Cedar Key followed by Fernandina, the endpoints of Florida's longest line, the Florida Railroad. Any equipment considered useful to the “Feds” was confiscated.
Both terminals had equipment, warehouses, and trestles destroyed. Some portions of the line in the state's interior remained intact, and was of some use to the Confederacy.
When Confederate forces abandoned Pensacola, they took equipment from the Florida & Alabama R.R., and salvaged the rails rather than have them fall into enemy hands. The second longest line, located between Tallahassee and Lake City, having no ports, remained intact.
During 1864, a rail line became directly involved in hostilities. The right-of-way between Jacksonville and Lake City was utilized by Union Troops marching west to destroy a bridge over the Suwannee River. At what became known as the “Battle of Olustee”, Union forces were soundly defeated by a smaller force of Confederates. A Confederate gun detachment with a 30-pound Parrot gun mounted on a flatcar saw limited use during this battle.
At the conclusion of hostilities Florida's railroads were in shambles. After martial law was declared, the Federal military took control of Florida's railroads. The military did provide limited repairs and restored some of the larger lines to operation. During the Reconstruction Era, some of the lines succumbed to the fraud of carpetbaggers.
By 1881, Florida's Internal Improvement Fund was issuing land grants for railroads.
New MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS
We need photos (or copies) showing Palatka and surrounding areas‟ rail history.
We are interested in: trains "street-running‟ on Main & Laurel; rail yard & maintenance
facilities in Palatka; train depots throughout Putnam County; businesses served by rail; as well as any other historical rail photos from this area.
We need photos (or copies) showing Palatka and surrounding areas‟ rail history.
We are interested in: trains "street-running‟ on Main & Laurel; rail yard & maintenance
facilities in Palatka; train depots throughout Putnam County; businesses served by rail; as well as any other historical rail photos from this area.
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